Wikileaks supporter Jacob Appelbaum gets close scrutiny from Customs, again

American computer security researcher and WikiLeaks supporter Jacob Appelbaum got close attention from Customs and Border Protetction agents as he arrived in Houston Monday from a trip abroad--so close that he missed a connecting flight, Appelbaum reported on his Twitter feed early Tuesday.

Appelbaum, who is pursuing a federal court challenge to the U.S. government's efforts to seek information about his Twitter account, has received the third degree from Customs agents at least five times in recent months. He has had computers and electronic devices seized and apprently copied. However, at this point, it is highly doubtful that agents are going to find anything of investigative interest during their encounters, given that Appelbaum is an experienced computer security researcher.

Nevertheless, the close scrutiny continues, resulting most notably at this point in colorful verbal exchanges.

"The actual interactions with the border guards are certainly becoming less and less pleasant. The CBP agents in Texas also served in Iraq," Appelbaum wrote Tuesday. "I asked why I was detained this time and one of the CBP agents said: "You remember 9/11? That's why!" - Stay classy, Face of the Nation."

"Of course, I was again denied access to my lawyer, again denied information on my "random" screening, and I missed my connecting flight," Appelbaum added. "Probably my favorite part of the detainment was when I was told that I wasn't being detained. I'd like to call my lawyer? May I leave? Nope."

Appelbaum said he was returning from Serbia where he attended social media and music festivals. His legal challenge to the federal investigative demands about his Twitter account was rejected by a federal magistrate last month. An appeal to a federal judge is pending.